TELF Q&A With Courtney Schoch

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF

What is your citizenship? 

I am a citizen of the United States and am in the process of obtaining residency in Nicaragua.

What city and state are you from? 

I am originally from Atlanta, Georgia but currently reside in both Cleveland, Ohio and Leon, Nicaragua

How old are you? 

42

What is your education level and background? 

My education background includes a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Aeronautical Science with specializations in Aeronautical Safety Systems and Space Operations as I am a regional airline Captain based in Newark, New Jersey. I am also a certified flight instructor for student pilots.

Have you traveled abroad in the past?

 Yes

If you have traveled abroad in the past, where have you been? 

I have traveled abroad for both vacation and work purposes. The countries include England, Scotland, Mexico, Canada and Belize. Nicaragua is the first foreign country I have lived in.

What sparked your interest in going to teach English abroad? 

In 2015, I married a Nicaraguan and quickly became acquainted with the conditions of extreme poverty. I lived in a coastal village and also in the capital of Nicaragua, Managua with his family. As time went on it became apparent that speaking English was a skill that can provide various job opportunities for Nicaraguans in order to help improve their quality of life. The desire to help this community lead me to obtain a TEFL certificationfrom ITA, and in January of 2016 I completed my Hybrid program (Which is an add on to the Online TEFL course.)at their campus in Leon, Nicaragua. Shortly after completing my certification I created a project called Runucate. Runucate’s mission is to provide English education to Nicaraguans.

What were some of your concerns before teaching abroad? 

The culture is different compared to the United States. My main concern was the treatment of women and complications that could be encountered in a foreign country. An additional concern was my minimal Spanish. This was of great concern to me because I would be living in a new city far away from my husband who often helped me with the language and culture barriers. This spilled over into concern about navigating the transportation system, currency, markets, clinics, etc. However, each one of these concerns became learning experiences and really much easier to deal with than I had imagined. I found the Nicaraguans to be very friendly and accommodating to the travelers in their country.

Read related Blog post: 8 tips for women living in Nicaragua as an English Teacher?

What did your friends and family think about you moving and teaching abroad? 

Many of my friends and family members were supportive but there was apprehension and confusion due to the major contrast to my current career and lifestyle. They now contact me almost weekly in anticipation of hearing stories about life in Nicaragua and ask when they can come visit!  

TEFL CLASS INFORMATION

 Which TEFL certification course did you take?

I took the online/hybrid TEFL course. It is a combination of online course work followed by completing my practicum and getting extra lesson planning support in Leon. It was nice because I was able to complete the Hybrid program in 4 weeks, and during that time I also received one on one observation during some of my teacher practicum.  This helped me professionally to grow as an EFL teacher.

Why did you decide to get TEFL certified and choose International TEFL Academy Nicaragua? 

I researched several programs and found that ITA Nicaragua was the best choice due to reputation and curriculum. It also fit the high demands of my work schedule by providing a large portion of the course online.  

How did you like the course? 

I enjoyed the course immensely because it was fun and organized. Having the ability to complete a large portion of the course work online was a benefit because it was not possible for me to take time off of work to attend the four week course.

The hybrid course offered hands on teaching to local Nicaraguans, so I felt there was a high degree of experience gained from this part of the course in addition to learning the local culture. León is a great city because it has so much to offer with a large diversified population but still has a small town feel.

How has your TEFL training helped you in your current teaching position?

The TEFL training has helped me because I now have knowledge and tools to add to my teaching skill set. It has also provided me with the confidence to create lesson plans and teach independently in small communities without supervision.

TEACHING ABROAD IN NICARAGUA

Which city and country did you decide to teach English in and why? 

I currently volunteer teach in León, Nicaragua. I chose this city because it is diverse, clean, economical, and safe. Previously I taught part time in a small village north of León with my family.

How long have you been in this country and how long do you plan to stay? 

I have been in Nicaragua on and off for over 2 years. I plan on living here full time in the future.

What school, company, or program are you working for? 

I do not work for a school at the moment. This is by choice due to my inconsistent work schedule as a pilot and traveling between the United States and Nicaragua. I plan on teaching in the future but for the time being I provide funds to local Nicaraguans to attend English classes through my personal education program, Runucate.

http://www.runucate.com/

How did you get your work visa? If you didn’t get a work visa, please elaborate on working under the table without a work visa.

I do not have a work visa because I do not stay in the country for extended periods of time, one to two weeks a month. I do not get paid for my teaching services so a work visa is not required.

Tell us about your English teaching job!

I currently offer to teach and assist ITA Nicaragua’s private language program in the evenings when I am in León. If this is not possible due to scheduling conflicts, I travel to a small village where my husband lives and do independent teaching in small groups on a volunteer basis. I occasionally provide telephone classes and correspond with my students online to help facilitate their learning experience. One day in the near future I hope to have a consistent schedule and have more time to dedicate to teaching.

How did you find somewhere to live and what is it like? Do you have roommates? 

ITA Nicaragua helped find my apartment in León. Initially I stayed with a family in a private room with a shared bathroom during the time I attended school. The location was clean, conveniently located, and the family was very accommodating. I did not and do not currently have roommates. My current apartment is awesome! I am very happy with the location, cost, amenities and services provided.

COUNTRY INFORMATION – FUN!

Please explain the cultural aspects, public transportation, nightlife, social activities, food, expat community, dating scene, and travel opportunities in your country:

 There are many social activities to meet your personality including yoga classes, salsa dancing, meetups, cultural events, the beach, and an awesome selection of restaurants. The expat community is very helpful and offer a monthly gathering in León. The ability to reach out to others on numerous expat Facebook pages is available also.

A central bus terminal in León offers direct transportation to other cities for an inexpensive price – usually less than $5 USD per person.  I prefer this economical method during the day when I travel to Managua. A private taxi from León to Managua costs approximately $70.  The bus to the beach is very close to my apartment and costs 13 Córdoba’s to ride one way. The bus ride is 30 minutes the longer wait is waiting for the bus to fill up before departing. I’m married so I am not certain about the dating scene. The country is very conservative culturally. My suggestion would be to definitely read up on the culture before you visit.

What are your monthly expenses? 

My circumstances are unique because I am employed as an airline pilot and frequently travel between the United States to my work base in Newark, New Jersey.  My monthly expenses include rent of $180. This includes air conditioning, cable, Wi-Fi and electricity. The public transportation is reliable and safe. Finding housing by word of mouth through locals is often less expensive.

At night taxi is a better option especially if you are traveling to/from to Managua. In Leon, you can travel in a taxi anywhere within the city for 20 Córdoba’s (approximately $1) per person.

How would you describe your standard of living?

I have the equivalent of a middle class standard of living here. My apartment is clean, air conditioned with 24 hour security provided and I have not had any problems. I lived in Managua prior to moving to León with my sister in law in a very dangerous area of town. In addition to living in Managua and León I also lived with my husband in a small country village off the Pacific coast in what could be defined as extreme poverty.

In your opinion, how much does someone need to earn in order to live comfortably?

$500-600 is adequate to live comfortably in León on a reasonable budget. Owning a bicycle is a must in my opinion. It definitely helps keep transportation costs low.

ADVICE FOR PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS IN NICARAGUA

What advice would you give someone planning on considering teaching abroad?

Research the country and look at living conditions realistically. Try not to make it worse than it is or better in your imagination. Be realistic and always double your budget to be conservative until you have a better understanding of your situation and lifestyle. The most important thing is to flow with the changes and challenges that are sure to accompany all the excitement and experiences you will experience on your TEFL journey!

Always pay attention culture! 

I would recommend reading up about Nicaraguan culture before you visit. This country is conservative. Some tips:

• Women should wear clothing that covers their shoulders and pants/shirts/skirts that are no shorter than 1-2 inches above the knee.
• Men ‘catcall’ women all the time – Ignore it. This is what many men do here.
• Learn some Spanish. You can communicate with the locals but life will be much easier for everyone if you have the basic vocabulary along with knowledge of local phrases.
• Try not to insult the lifestyle of Nicaraguans, they work very hard for what they have.
• Do not discuss politics in public. It is a sensitive subject.
• Do pet the stray dogs. There are many dogs roaming the city and countryside. Most are passive but it would be a wise idea to read up on protection against dogs.

Source TELF 

Scholarship Awards

Hello everyone – I cannot believe how fast this year is flying by! Thanks to your kindness and generosity, I will be returning to Nicaragua the last week of November to award Runucate’s English Scholarships.  One hundred percent of the money contributed to the Cleveland Towpath Marathon Fundraiser last month has been used to fund the scholarships. Watch for more information in the following weeks on how your contribution is changing a life and future events. THANK YOU!

Race Report - Towpath Marathon, Cleveland

October 9,2016

Race Recap – Towpath Marathon – Cleveland, Ohio October 9, 2016

A cool and sunny day with a light breeze. The perfect weather for a marathon. For several days leading up to this race I was apprehensive and getting more nervous. This was my first marathon. A million questions swarmed in my head –  What if I bonk? Get dehydrated? Have to go to the bathroom? Get over hydrated? Have serious GI issues? What if? What if? What if? I was not prepared for the level of insecurity that I had before my first marathon.

Course Map

Three days prior to the race I drank more water, went to the chiropractor, increased my intake of carbohydrates and took more time to rest. Less than a day before I ran an easy 1.5 miles to keep my legs moving and limber.

The night before the race all my gear was prepared and I tucked myself into bed at 8:00 PM with an alarm set for 4:30AM. The race was 30 minutes from my home in Cleveland. However, last year when I ran the half marathon at the same location the traffic was awful and I was certain the roads would be closed down before I could find a parking spot and get to the start line. This year I was committed to making sure I was there early and had plenty of time to prepare – organize my drop bag, warm up, etc. It worked out perfect this time and there was time to spare.

READY TO START!

The race began 4/10 of a mile from the parking area. There were approximately 1000 half marathoners and 400 full marathoners. The race began at 8 and everyone shot down the small hill. This course is very flat and is a Boston Qualifier so there were many fast runners. I was immediately at the back of the pack. My strategy was to keep a 11:30 pace and this went fine for several miles. This pace is by no means fast but I had missed a handful of my training runs for a variety of reasons and did not want to go out to fast and hit the wall sooner or injury myself.

For the first 4 miles I was on the same pace as another runner, Mike. He is a radiologist and also crews for 100 mile runners. He had great stories to tell and the first few miles clicked by. I remember thinking, “This was going to be an awesome time, I know will be tough spots but I will get through them”.

Up until Mile 10 things were holding steady – physically and mentally – then the negative thoughts started to shove the positive ones aside as pain introduced itself between 10 and 11. Smart marathons are accurate when they say running a marathon is 80% mental. My training program moving forward will definitely incorporated a stronger mental strength element.

Here is the breakdown by mile of the mental gremlins that invaded my headspace as the marathon progressed:

Mile 10 – If I signed up for a half I would be almost be done and would be feeling awesome. I  could eat, relax, go home, cut the grass but nope I have 15.2 more miles to run – but that’s ok I can do this. All of the those people who have shown support are counting on me along with the students in Nicaragua.

Mile 11 – No porta-potty in sight – I have needed one for MILES!  The awesome thing about being a back of thepackers being able to pee in the woods unnoticed.  WOW –  Here come the elite runners at the turnaround – WHAT?? How can anyone run that fast   – AMAZING. I feel like such a slug and hope no one saw me peeing in the by the tree.

Mile 13-14 – The contributors to my project are keeping the momentum alive. I’m doing this for all of the awesome people in my life and for my project. Feeling tired  but I can definitely do this. Wait – why am I doing this??? Oh yeah – supporters and students.

Mile 15 – This is pretty tough but I can’t wait to see my children, Zach and Gabby, at the mile 17     marker. It is so important to have support at a marathon. The random spectators really help out too! Thank you random people.

Mile 17 – YAY!! – Stop for a selfie with the kids and bite of a vegan bean burrito

Selfie at Mile 17

Mile 17.2  – I’m going to puke – the one bite I had of the bean burrito feels like a lead weight bouncing in my stomach up into my esophagus. Oh and yeah here are the quad cramps people talk about. Isn’t Coke supposed to help with cramps and nausea – where is the coca cola – where is anyone? I’m out here alone.

Mile 20.1  – New territory – none of my long runs have taken me farther than 20. This is awesome! I feel no pain and in the zone. Whoo – Hoo!

Mile 21 – My feet feel like someone is hitting them with sledgehammers and my toenails must be  falling off because they hurt so bad. Why did all of my cushion in my shoe disappear when I need it the most?  Where is the wall? Is it around the corner? I can’t imagine bonking on top of the foot pain.

Mile 22-26 – WHERE is the endorphin kick everyone talks about after mile 21? Waiting for it, waiting, waiting, waiting….

ALMOST THERE!!

Mile 26.1  – There IT is. I’m going to finish this and I’m NEVER doing another one of these again. – EVER – Run fast, fast, faster – almost there – this isn’t so bad anymore.

Mile 26.2 – FINISH LINE – YES! I don’t even care the announcer mispronounced my name – Just  SMILE for the photographer.

An interesting thing happened after I crossed the finish line – I had just ran/walked for 26.2 miles and now my legs didn’t want to do any more work. I hobbled to my son’s car as I ate my subway vegetarian sandwich and drank a Noona organic electrolyte replacement drink offered at the finish line. For the rest of the day I could barely move. Twenty-four hours later I was ready to run again. However, I am going to use smart recovery and wait a few more days to give my body the time it needs to recover. Even though I was slower than I anticipated, 5 hours, 54 minutes – with 6 minutes to spare until the cutoff – it was one of the best experiences of my life.

Food AND a medal 

The marathon taught me a lot about nutrition, hydration, pacing, mental strength, and the importance of support. Training and running in a marathon is a personal journey that I would highly recommend to anyone willing to go the distance.  And of course I signed up for another marathon – The Big Five Marathon in South Africa – June 2017!

RACE FUEL

Generation UCAN – 20 minutes prior to start

Nuun Electrolyte Replacement  – 3 tablets dissolved in Nathan water bottle during the race

CLIF Organic Energy Food  – 4 packets of beet and banana

Nooma Organic Electrolyte Replacement Drink – 1 berry flavored bottle immediately after the race

Vegan Bean Burritos – 2 within an hour of finishing

6 inch Subway – Vegetarian Sub Sandwich – immediately after race

RUNNING GEAR –

Altra Lone Peak 3.0

Nathan Quickdraw Hydration Water Bottle – Refilled five times at aid stations with water

Garmin Forerunner 220 Watch

Nike Featherlight Visor

Injinji Socks  Zero blisters !

Moving Comfort Sports Bra

Ladies Underarmour Short Sleeve

Flip Belt – Initially I thought this was not going to work but it has been AMAZING. The FlipBelt held my phone, 4 packets of fuel, car key, ID, cash, and body glide.

Body Glide – no chafing at all!

Marathon Fundraiser

On Sunday, October 9, I will be participating in my first full marathon in Ohio, The Cleveland Towpath Marathon. For those unsure of a marathon’s distance –  It’s 26.2 miles!

Why am I running a marathon?
I am running to provide awareness and raise money to give English Scholarships to teens and adults in Nicaragua so they can get better jobs. 100% of the donations pay for English classes and supplies.

What’s the story?
My first introduction to Nicaragua was a vacation with friends in 2013  – a trip that not only changed my life but has paved the path to change the lives of other people also.

Haunting images of the Nicaraguan’s deplorable living conditions stayed with me once back in the United States.  Yet, it was the genuineness of the people that made an impact on my heart.

I returned three weeks later to the country to learn more about the culture and an idea slowly began to develop. Within six months I moved in with a family in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, to live in what Americans would call unacceptable conditions. Yes, it did take time to adjust to the differences and modify my lifestyle but I appreciated and embraced their unique way of life. The Nica

Darling, a student, in our home

While living with the family, I helped children in the area with their English homework and assisted a local business in the neighborhood correspond with English speaking customers – many of which would not have become customers intitally because of the language barrier.

In January of 2016 my journey lead me  to León, Nicaragua where I attended ITA Nicaragua and received my TEFL, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, certification. The course enhanced the foundation of my teaching skills as a flight instructor while providing structure to teach students how to speak, read, and write English.

Courtney with students in León at ITA Nicaragua 2016-

Race Report – Running with the Devil, Mojave Desert

July 25, 2016

Surprisingly cool air prevails before the sun rises in the Nevada region of the Mojave Desert with an average temperature between 100-110F. Multiple events took place this weekend, June 24-26, ranging in distance from 5k to 100 miles organized by Calico Racing. I registered for a half marathon, 13.2 miles, several months previously as a subsitution for the Big Five South African Safari Marathon. This was necessary due to a handful of setbacks this last year. The Calico extreme racing series is a small venue. There were only 31 half marathon finishers for Saturday’s race.

This was my first long run in many months. I required an unexpected surgery in May to control bleeding that was rapidly becoming the leading contributing factor to an imminent anemia diagnosis. This wasn’t the only race “casualty” I had experienced this summer. The Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon became a 10K, 5 days post surgery. The Towpath 10 miler in Ohio was omitted due to schedule conflicts at work. The Running with the Devil race series had looked challenging but manageable for a half marathon through the desert but still fell under the category of “extreme races”.

Training for Running with the Devil had been incredibly challenging due to the anemia issues I faced over the last several months which resulted in experimental nutritional fueling from vegan gels to whole foods. The lack of red blood cells prevented adequate delivery of oxygen to my organs and muscles. Each run was a struggle to breathe and my legs felt like concrete blocks attached to my body. My pace and cadence had diminished drastically prior to the surgery but is steadily improving. The doctors told me it could take several months to a year to regain the strength and stamina that was lost.

There were very few heat acclimation training runs and zero high altitude runs performed prior to the Running with the Devil. This affected my body’s ability to adapt to an environment that is less oxygen saturated. In addition, we were told the morning of the race that the wildfires upwind were causing a severe decrease in air quality and to be prepared for this additional challenge.

Two main challenges of this race was the low humidity and heat. They both present issues for the body to compensate for. When heat becomes more extreme your sweat rate may not be sufficient to keep you cool. The dry air evaporates sweat from your body almost as quickly as it is being produced allowing dehydration to occur at a rapid pace. An article in the Harvard Medical Journal explains it simply, “Like water flowing downhill, heat naturally moves from warm areas to cooler ones. As long as the air around you is cooler than your body, you radiate heat to the air. But this transfer stops when the air temperature approaches body temperature.” Under these conditions it becomes worthwhile to wear thicker clothing that will hold more water. When the heat is above core body temperature, air movement over dry skin will heat rather than cool your body, so it’s only when you’re wet that wind will help. I used the tip from previous runners and drenched myself with water and put ice cubes into my hat when I stopped at aid stations.

These factors also cause the heart to work harder as the body becomes more and more dehydrated throughout the run. An efficient heart must work harder to pump blood because it’s becoming thicker due to the dehydration. This is called cardiac drift: the heart rate increases over the course of a run even when the intensity stays the same. It is normal to have a significantly slower pace in heat and higher altitudes.

Altitude was the third challenge of this race. Normally an altitude of 4,000 – 5,500 feet would not be extremely challenging but due to my body’s reduced ability to adequately transport oxygen the altitude had an impact. It is documented the body’s oxygen saturation is approximately 94% and decreased to 90% at 10,000 at this race elevation.

Profile – for first 10.89 miles of Half Marathon Course

Considering increased elevation, low humidity, and heat the Galloway Method of marathon completion made the most sense for me. This method incorporates running with walking intervals. Moments before the race began, a decision was made to perform by heart rate in combination with this method. As soon as my heart rate reached 160-165 BPM, I walked until the HR decreased. My main focus was to finish the race strong and not exceed the heart rate. Taking time to enjoy every moment, appreciation of my body, basking in the accomplishment of making it to the starting line, and being surrounded by a supportive running community are the most important aspects of a race in my opinion.

The front of the pack left me in the dust by mile two. I’ve always been a mid packer or trailing in the back. I throughly enjoyed the solitude and beautiful views offered by the rolling hills and desert vegetation in Lovell Canyon. The course was well marked with aid stations offering ice, water, electrolytes, potatoes chips, towels, and sunscreen were spaced approximately every 3 miles.  The course was very hilly with one horrific “hill” around mile 7. Running by heart rate worked well for this race with a hydration plan of approximately 110 ounces of water with Nuun electrolytes tablets which prevented dehydration, cramps, and exhaustion. I finished the race feeling strong with a time of 3:13:45, second in my age group. The post race buffet food was awesome. There was someting for everyone including vegans and vegetarians.  I refueled with dill pickles, penne pasta/black bean salad and tangerines.

Despite all efforts to reduce hydration, a severe headache struck 3-4 hours post race. I continued to drink water to reduce the duration but  my urine output was zero for almost 24 hours. The headache lingered late into the evening and by the next day I was feeling almost 100% with minimal muscle soreness.

Overall this race went better but slower than expected. Marathon training for the Towpath held in Cleveland, Ohio in October 2016 is underway.

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES  

Outdoor Research Sun Runner Hat  – This hat was very helpful because it blocked out the sun with the removable attachment.

RailRiders Eco-Mesh Long Sleeve Shirt – I initially though this was going to be hot because it is long sleeves but the mesh on the sides provides more than adequate air movement – do not wear anything underneath except a sports bra for the ladies – I did this for about 2 miles and stopped to remove my tank top.

Blublockers – Viper Style – This sunglasses are AWESOME! The sun glare in the desert is intense and these really block out the blinding rays in addition to being lightweight and they don’t slide around on your face.

Injini Socks – Light Weight No Show   – I have been wearing these socks religiously for four years and have never gotten a blister or sweaty feet.

ALTRA Lone Peak 2.5 Shoes – A zero drop trail shoe. These are by far my favorite go to kicks. Alta’s work well on pavement, rock, wet, gravel, and soft surfaces. The new 3.0 version comes out this week.

Moving Comfort Sports Bra – Ladies – If you are “well endowed” this is the bra for you! Comfortable and supportive.

Garmin 220 Forerunner – The best feature on this is the vibration feature and being able to set up individualized workouts. The battery life

Camelbak Backpack  Camelbak with bladder removed. I did not feel it was necessary to carry the added weight of sloshing water due to frequent aid stations. I used this to carry a bottle of sunscreen, CLIF Organic Energy Food Packs, extra tank top, cell phone, and as a place to stash away my 20 ounce handheld water bottle.

Handkerchief – This was a tremendous aid to keep cool. I drenched it in water at each aid station and tied it around my neck.